Teen Driving Program being offered at Owens

Written by Press Staff Writer

June 21, 2012

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Teenagers are invited to sharpen their safe driving skills at a free Honda Teen Defensive Driving Program titled “Key to Safe Teen Driving” being offered Owens Community College June 26 and 27. The program is open to ages 15 to 20 with a valid driver’s license or driving permit. Participants must also have the use of a vehicle (proof of insurance required) for the event.

Presented by AAA Northwest Ohio, KeyBank, The Mid-Ohio School, Kumho Tires and Owens, the free two-day “Key to Safe Teen Driving” class will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Center for Emergency Preparedness’ emergency vehicle operations and driving course on Tracy Road in Perrysburg Township.

The class will be offered in four separate sessions each day, at 9 and 10:45 a.m. and 1:15 and 3 p.m. Sessions will include classroom time and hands-on drills involving wet-braking, skid control and emergency lane change maneuvers. The wet-braking and emergency lane change drills will be conducted using participants’ vehicles. The program’s Honda Civic Skid Car will also be used.

Participants will learn the physics and dynamics of driving, defensive driving and responsible behavior, wet-braking, emergency lane changes and collision-avoidance, slalom and weight-transfer maneuvers and about driving in adverse weather conditions, among many other topics. Vehicle maintenance and a tire changing demonstration will also be held during the program.

The class will be taught by professional driving instructors from The Mid-Ohio School.

Attendees are asked to remove all items from their vehicle’s trunk and any loose items in the passenger compartment, as well as to check tire pressure and fluid levels prior to the program.

The “Key to Safe Teen Driving” class was established in 2009 by KeyBank with the overall goal of improving the driving skills of teen drivers and raising awareness about the need for better training of young drivers. This year’s program features 14 events in 14 communities throughout Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, New York and Wisconsin.